A Bird of Two Similar, but Different Feathers
by TheRedhood908
Summary: An experiment goes wrong on the Watchtower and one Vic Sage, a.k.a the Question finds himself amongst familiar faces. Familiar yes, but different, in horrifying ways. He must now fight to get back to his family while Shayera Sage, a.k.a Hawkgirl, has to cope with their confused children and the fear of losing her husband forever.
1. Chapter 1

_**Lantern Hall Prison-Earth 2**_

"How did you get here?" asks the voice again, but this time no window is given for Vict Sage to answer. The fist instantly impacts against his cheek, sending his teeth clanking against one another and his eyes rolling in their sockets. Usually the mask he wore would have helped deflect the force of such a blow but his captors had somehow known how to remove it.

It wasn't surprising. After all, the people who had captured him were his closest friends or at least this world's version of his friends and colleagues. There were so many questions running through his head. He dwelled on each and every one of them, a survival technique he'd learned while under the tender mercies of Cadmus. If you could deflect your mind away from what was happening in the moment, you could survive it easier.

"Answer me dammit! How the hell did you get here?" the voice asks before he feels the knuckles impact against his cheekbone.

'Good question' Vic thinks to himself as his body is wracked in pain. The last thing he remembered was being subjected to one of Mr. Terrific's experiments. A blinding light, a scream and the outline of a woman flying towards him were his last memories. Shayera. His wife. He smiles as he remembers her name, focusing on her touch, her scent and her smile. It was better than focusing on how his body was being battered by his captor.

"Tell me, this is your last chance asshole. Tell me or you die" Vic hears, vaguely aware of the green light that is now shining bright in front of his face, the swelling of his skin and muscles not helping his eyesight, limiting his vision to two thin slits. His head is lifted, a hand roughly grasping his chin to force his gaze upward.

"Enough! Stewart, you've been ordered to Metropolis. I'll be taking over this interrogation" comes a voice from behind his tormentor. He can see her outline, and it is a woman. He can already tell. The voice is familiar to him. Too familiar. So is the shape that he sees in the open door, ambient light outlining her entire body to him. The wings are a dead giveaway.

He feels the hand drop away as well, the downward pull of gravity causing him pain as his muscles are pulled and cuts that had healed over the last session of torture rip open again.

"That so? Well Lord Hol. I want to see some proof of this" the man, obviously Justice Lord John Stewart, also known as the Green Lantern, sneers at her. As Vic cannot see any of this he relies on his hearing to take in as many facts as he can. He didn't have much hope for escape, or even survival but he wasn't quite willing to give up just yet. "It's Lord Sage" she growls before producing a piece of paper, the sound of ruffling making it obvious. "Here. A direct order from Lord Superman, cosigned by Diana. Happy?" comes the snarky reply, and the snatching of paper follows.

"Hmm, alright. Checks out. Hope he tells you something but I doubt it. Just remember this, he isn't your husband. Your Vic is dead. I killed him myself remember?" the voice teases, steps heading towards what Vic could only assume was the exit of whatever kind of room he was being held in. All he can hear from his previous captor is fading laughter until even that is gone. He is left with the silence and he'd much rather deal with the torture.

She slowly move towards him, the gentle fall of her footsteps upon the concrete telling him that the woman making her way towards him was either very cautious, or very nervous. Either way, he needed to find a way to use this to his advantage. He had to escape, find somebody, anybody who was fighting the Justice Lords.

"Vic? Vic, baby...I'm so sorry. I should've gotten here sooner" the voice says, one he knows so well. 'No' he says mentally, trying to keep from losing his focus. This isn't his wife. She was on the other side, in the other dimension, or was this the same dimension? He couldn't tell. It was possible that this was the future and that all the threats he saw had indeed come to pass. That would mean that Superman and Batman, all of them, were corrupted. Except for the Flash. He was dead.

"Don't touch me" he manages to spit out between sore puffy lips and cracked teeth, the Green Lantern's liberal use of conjured pliers having done a number on him. Still, he was rather proud of himself for forcing just enough venom into his statement than he'd previously thought possible.

"Vic, I'm so sorry I couldn't stop him, but...I'm here now. It's going to be okay. You're safe baby" she says, obviously having been taken aback by the anger in her husband's voice. She reaches up, quickly undoing the manacles that keep the Question tied to the wall and manages to capture him under his arms, cradling his limp and broken body against her. The pain is too much and the Question finally passes out, letting his body go limp in the woman's arms.

She kneels, the grimy floor of the chamber scuffing and dirtying her pants ae she does. She can't find it in herself to care. She's filled with too many emotions to focus on her uniform. She had her husband back. Her Vic. This was enough to fill her with the greatest joy, a joy she hadn't known since she lost him. Then there was the anger. It filled her slowly as her hands moved about his broken and injured body. Cuts and lacerations criss crossed his cheek, obviously a result from being punched with John Stewart's ring finger facing outward. He'd been here three days.

Why hadn't she been called as soon as he arrived? Why was Stewart allowed to question him? Why was Lord Superman keeping this a secret?

All of these questions reverberated through her head, almost leaving her dizzy. She was lucky to have a friend in Diana who told her in private what had happened. She forged the letter and signed it, promising the Thanagarian to convince Lord Superman to go along with her plot later on. As soon as this was settled Shayera had flown as fast as she could and set about liberating her husband.

She cursed herself now. 'Why wasn't I faster?' she asked herself, only now remembering that the teleporter was available for her to use. If only she'd thought of it then, she could've been at Stewart's torture chamber in seconds. She didn't have time, not at the moment, to reflect on what she could have done right or wrong. She stands, carrying her husband and rushing out of the door, hurrying for the teleporter in Stewart's main hall.

"Aggghh" Vic moans, in so much pain from the interrogation methods employed on him.

"Just hold on Vic. In a little while you'll be all better" she says, realizing that the man was unconscious but hoping that her words would have some form of effect. She finally reaches the machine, set apart at the atrium with only a few guards with automatic rifles positioned at it. None of them make a move to stop her, knowing that she was a Justice Lord after all.

"You, set the coordinates for Hawk Hall in Gotham. Do it now" she shouts at the main operator who offers a salute in response and sets the coordinates into the computer, the teleporter rumbling to life as he does. "You're okay now Vic. You're back and I'm going to make sure you're safe" she says, stepping onto the platform.

"No matter what" are her last words before a bright blinding blue flash covers the room, blinding everyone around.

_**Justice League Watchtower-Earth 1**_

"Terrific, you better have an answer soon or I'll be removing the Mr from your name" the redhead shouts brandishing her mace and convincing everyone around that she was completely serious. The man in question cowers behind the terminal, only comforted by the fact that Wonder Woman now had her hands on the woman's shoulders, holding her back from attacking him.

"Peace Shayera, peace. Terrific didn't know this would happen. But if I may ask, why are you not mad at Wally? He volunteered Question did he not?" the Amazon asked in naive confusion causing the Thanagarian to snap her sight onto the scarlet speedster who looked like he was about to huddle up into a ball and cry.

"Ohh don't worry. Wally will get his but he's an idiot. So it's more understandable why he'd do something so reckless. Terrific should've known better!" she shouts, turning back on the black man and attempting to lunge at him.

"Hey!" Wally says, making to retort before he's stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He turns to see the severe face of Batman, hidden under his signature cowl. "If you want to continue living, I suggest you just let that one go" he says, giving his colleague good advice. The Flash just nods, looking over at the woman who was now sobbing into Diana's arms, the anger having gone out of her and the sadness returning. It had been happening a lot over the last two days. A predictable cycle, and one that was slowly breaking everyone's heart.

"I...well, I just wish there was something I could do" the Flash says morosely. "If it wasn't for me, we wouldn't be in this mess anyway" he adds. It was true in a way. A few days previous Mr. Terrific had come up with a few theories on how to transport items and people easily about the tower. It was a lot easier to relay someone out of the area completely, but harder to pin down closer frequencies that allowed travel from point A to B. He had asked for a test dummy and Wally volunteered Vic who happened to be passing by at the time.

As usual, Wally was able to cajole him into it and Vic went along with it because he trusted him. The surge of guilt that wells up in his guts is worse than anything else he's experienced and he wants to run, always his first instinct. But he doesn't. Running wont bring back Vic and it wouldn't comfort Shayera, which was top priority.

"Shay, we'll find him. I promise" he says, prudently staying a few feet back as the woman continues to cry in the Amazon's arms. She doesn't seem to notice, to absorbed in her grief. Everyone was quickly becoming convinced that he was dead. It was whispered around the tower as if it was already proven fact and undoubtedly it had started to reach Shayera's ears. His wife of seven years was not taking it well, nor should she be. She had three kids at home all asking about their father, and nobody could give them an answer.

Diana looks up at Mr. Terrific who was still working on the computer and relay that he had set up, hoping against hope to get some information about what had happened to their friend and colleague. He stopped to meet the Amazon's gaze and just frowned, shaking his head. He had no idea what to do.

_**Sage Hall Living Quarters-Earth 2**_

He felt pain, but if memory served him correctly it was a distinctly lesser pain than he'd experienced before while under the tender mercies of the Green Lantern. That was a pleasant thought, but he knew it wouldn't last. The pain would come back. He would be under torture once again.

He wants to open his eyes, but finds that the effort takes more out of him than usual. He'd have to wait before taking a chance on escape, if escape was even possible. His body was ruined at the moment, and he needed to recover. It's then that he feels something soft and wet against his cheek, warm and brushing. He slowly forces his eyes open and winces as even the small amount of light within the room assaults his corneas. "Vic, it's okay baby" he hears, almost as if it was whispered from far off. "Although I am glad you're awake, you need to get more sleep" the voice says, taking on a feminine and familiar tone.

With another gargantuan effort he opens his eyes wider and begins to try and sit up, before he is stopped by two hands firmly placed on his shoulders. "Vic, please don't move. Stay still" she says, smiling down at him but nervousness plays about her eyes, as if she wasn't sure of what to do next. With his eyes fully opened he can now see her, and he realizes that his mask had been removed. His first instinct on seeing his wife, or the woman who looked exactly like his wife, was to reach up and kiss her. Similar thoughts are on her mind as she leans down and captures his bruised and swollen lips between her own. He wants to relish in it, her taste and scent. He could only think of how she was Shayera and that this is perfect...before he remembers that this is not HIS Shayera.

He pulls back, trying to prevent the still needy woman from moving in and kissing him again. The smile that plays on her face is much sadder now, and a tear springs from her eye, moving down her cheek before falling away from her completely. She places her hand on his face once more, using the warm washcloth to clean the congealed blood that had seeped out of his cuts and had remained under his bandages. "You don't know how much I missed that" she says, almost breathless while trying to keep her composure in front of the man.

"Where am I?" he asks simply, schooling his voice to give nothing away. He didn't want to let on that he was affected by the woman's sadness. All he'd learned about this world had shown him that he should work to get out of it as soon as possible. It was another world, a world where the Justice League became dictators. The Justice Lords. He had to leave, and soon.

She frowns at the quick change in tone but continues to wash his face, all the while moving her body closer to him on the bed. He was on a bed he realized. A very large bed with white sheets, the purest he'd ever seen. He turns his head upwards, trying to see the dark shape that looms over him only to realize that it's a headboard. It's massive, and shaped as if it was a hawk, head turned and wings spread out. He can't help but feel an instant recollection to the eagle of the third reich, clutching a swastika in its talons. He shook these thoughts away, not needing to remember his time spent in the second world war at the moment.

"You're home. Right where you belong" she says simply, kissing his bare chest before reaching over to the end table and grasping a new pack of bandages which she hastily tears open and begins unrolling. "Where is "home" then?" he asks, annoyance creeping into his voice. She doesn't respond and just hums, a tune he doesn't readily get but that he knows, due to his impeccable mastery of modern culture, is something out of the corporate headquarters of some record company. "Where am I?" he asks again, this time with a little more force. She looks up, quirking an eyebrow before she answers, taking her time in wrapping his wounds. "Sage Hall. Our compound" she says sweetly, the smile quickly coming back to her face as she begins humming once again.

"Your compound" he says, grasping her hand to prevent her from touching him any further. He felt a mixture of anger, adoration, sympathy and disgust for the woman, and it coiled uncomfortably within him. She looks at him with fierce anger in her eyes before she brings his hand to her lips, kissing it at the palm first and then moving upwards. "Don't be mad at me. Please Vic, just….let me have you" she says, an insistent pleading in her voice as if she was commanding him to do as she said. The adoration and sympathy pool to the top and force him to decide that he wouldn't attempt anything...for now. Not that his body would allow it if he even wanted too.

"I'm not your Vic. I'm not from here, wherever here is. Either I'm from the past or another universe, which I'm guessing the latter" he says, beginning to look about the room. It was clean, spotless almost, and didn't have the lived in feeling that his own room did. He loved his wife, but she was not the neatest person, and neither was he. Their room at home was covered with clothes, newspapers and random toys from their children who constantly played there. While others might complain, it meant all the world to Vic at the moment. He really wanted to wake up and slip on one of his daughter's dolls, showing that this was all a dream. But he couldn't and wouldn't. It was a nightmare yes, but a true one.

"You're Victor Sage, and that means you're mine" she teases, nuzzling his nose before bringing up her hand and showcasing their wedding band. At least he thought so, as he couldn't recognize the ring. That significantly narrowed down the possibilities when it came to what had happened to him. It wasn't the future, as he would see the same ring he gave her on her finger, so it had to be a different universe. He already knew, or rather suspected, but this evidence cemented the view.

"That isn't the wedding band I gave Shayera" he says simply, looking around to see if he could find his mask, though he doubted he'd be allowed to put it on if he did. Shayera, this universe's Shayera, looks at him, his words having quite the effect though he doesn't see why. "Yes it is. You gave this to me. At the Iceberg Lounge. Right after….after Wally died" she says, sniffling as she remembers the past. She shakes her head and comes back. "Why don't you remember?" she asks, and Vic realizes that she was clearly delusional. He didn't propose to Shayera at the Iceberg Lounge. He proposed in the Watchtower, right on the observation deck.

"Because, it didn't happen. At least not with me. I asked my Shayera…."

"I am Shayera Vic!" she says angrily, jumping up from the bed and furiously pacing across the floor, hus usage of the word "my" apparently setting her off. "I am Shayera Sage. Your wife. We have three children aged 7, 5 and 3" she practically shouts, causing Vic to take pause. Her eyes were wild, piercing into him as if they were a physical force. Her hair was unkempt, something that he'd never seen Shayera with except very early in the morning. She was much more unhinged then he had originally thought and that was a scary realization. With how he had been treated by the Lantern, Hawkgirl was the closest thing to an ally he had here.

It was hard to see her as "Hawkgirl" anymore. Her entire uniform was changed, with the one piece being entirely black with a steel hawk shaped breast plate towards the top. Her helmet, which was lying on a shelf a few feet away, no longer stretched out to the sides and was instead a rounded steel plate. She looked like one of the metahumans produced by the Eastern Bloc nations during the cold war.

Slowly she calms, her wings folding back in onto her back and her breathing becoming even. She closes her eyes, reaching her hands down along her uniform to smooth out the creases, the uniform not fitting her well as she had lost weight. She smiles and opens her eyes, reaching down to rub his chest. She pecks his lips and pulls back reluctantly, gathering up the dirty bandages for disposal and the wrappings as well. "I'll be back with dinner Vic" she says, causing the man to become confused. "Why wouldn't I be able to come to din…" he starts, taking that opportunity to begin to move his legs and finding out that he couldn't. Well, at least not very far. He sits up and looks towards the foot of the bed, finding that his feet have been shackled together and then secured to the bed frame.

"So I'm a prisoner" he says, somewhat expecting it from the beginning. Hawkgirl has the decency to avert her eyes and look away, gathering up the bandages on a tray and making to exit. She stops, midway across the room, and turns back. "Just for a few days Vic. Just until you're better okay?" she asks, trying to get warmth back from him. All she gets is a blank stare and a grunt of acknowledgement. She can't help the frown that breaks out over her face but eventually she just straightens her back, readying to move out. "I'm the only thing protecting you Vic. Stewart wants you dead, and Superman...well, he wouldn't care either way. It's only me, so I suggest being nicer" she says, her warlike demeanor coming to the forefront once more.

'There's the authoritarian in her' he thinks, wondering on how to put her off balance. Regardless of the personal risk he was putting on himself, he knew that he'd have to play mind games with the woman. He ignored the guilt that welled up in his chest at the idea of hurting his wife, even if she wasn't really her, but he had to.

"I'm not one of your slaves who fears you Shayera, you won't bully me like you bully the people, and one day it wont work on them either" he says, laying his head back on the pillow.

"That's not true", she shouts, gripping the tray tightly and staring at the man. "We protect them. Better than we ever did before. Nobody dies, everyone is equal. There is no more hate, no more crime and no more tragedy. We've saved the world. I'll protect them...just like...just like I'll protect you" she says, warmth coming into her voice again as she says the last part. With much trepidation and inner turmoil, Vic exploits it as an obvious weak spot. "Like you protected the last Vic?" he asks sarcastically.

His words have the desired effect as Shayera gasps, mouth open in shock before slowly closing and her eyes taking on the hardness of steel. She turns and opens the door by pressing a button, the metal frame opening with a hiss. "I'll send a servant with your dinner" she says, walking out and letting the door close quickly behind her.

Vic lays in the bed, eyes scanning around for any possible way out. He had a bobby pin hidden in the fabric of his tie, but Shayera had removed it and brought it God knew where. Regardless, she knew all his tricks as he had taught his Shayera them, he was sure this universe's Vic Sage had taught this Shayera. Even the blinds were drawn about the windows, preventing him from seeing anything. He lays back, feeling sleep overtake him slowly.

_**Gotham City, Apartment of Vic and Shayera Sage-Earth 1**_

"Mommy, where's daddy?" asks Penny from her bed, having been tucked in once more by her mother. It was hitting their oldest the first, Vic being gone. Every night he came in and read her a story, brushed her hair and tucked her in. She was starting to notice that this absence was taking longer than any normal "mission" would.

Shayera can't come up with an answer, or at least not one that would placate the young girl. She herself knew that Penny was getting the sense that something was wrong from her own mother. The bloodshot eyes, the staring off into the distance. Penny was every bit her father's daughter, and nothing could be hidden from her.

Shayera smiles, swallowing the lump in her throat as she reaches down and kisses her daughters forehead, sitting on the bed. "He's at work sweetie. He told me to tell you that he loves you and misses you very much" she says, nuzzling the young girls nose and then hugging her. She did that not only to comfort the young girl but also to mask her own fear and had to stay strong and she was staying strong for her kids. That was a positive of the warrior culture of Thanagar, the stoicism and strength. Shayera was no different but found that she was slowly breaking. She'd even broken down in public a few times,or at least around her friends. She would die before she did that in front of her children.

"Was dinner good?" she asks, trying to get the topic off of her missing husband. Penny just smiles, a sad little smile. "Yeah" she says, her voice giving it away that she wasn't being exactly truthful. Shayera mock scowls, raising an eyebrow. "Ohh? What was wrong with it then little miss pants on fire?" she asks, reaching down to begin tickling her daughter's midsection. Penny begins laughing hysterically, trying to avoid her mother's fingers before the woman leans down and blows a raspberry on her stomach.

"Uncle, uncle" she says, causing Shayera to continue. "Uncle? Uncle who? I'm not an uncle" she says teasingly, causing the girl to laugh even more. "Mommy please" she gasps, her face red with laughter. Shayera stops, not wanting to make her daughter pee the bed with her tickling. "That's better".

She can't help but smile at her daughter and brush a strand of hair away from her eye before she pulls the covers back up to her shoulders. "You look so much like me at your age. Do you know that?" she asks, causing the young girl to nod. "Uhh hmm. You've told me" she says, stating it in such a matter of fact way as to give the impression that she was tired of hearing it. She wasn't, but that was just the Vic in her. Hawkgirl can't help the pain that rises in her chest at the thought of Vic, but bravely bites it back.

"So, what was wrong with my meatloaf?" she asks, as if asking for pointers. Penny just shrugs. "I'unno" she mumbles, before looking back up. "It was good just...well it wasn't how daddy makes it" she said, Shayera nodding sadly. "Well, your daddy is a master cook sweetie. A lot better than me. If I cooked all the time we'd just have Thanagarian combat rations. Dried roots and salted baracari berry" she says, indeed remembering one of the meals she eaten while on campaign.

"Good thing daddy left a recipe book" the young girl says while yawning, causing Shayera to stop and nod. "Yes sweetie. Not, get some sleep alright? I have to check on Henry and Lily" she says, kissing her daughter's cheek once more while turning to exit the room. She flicked on the night light, watching the elephants and horses projected onto the ceiling move about the room, illuminating the darkness.

She slowly closes the door, hoping against hope that her children wouldn't have to rely on a cookbook to remember their father.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Lord Hawkgirl's Compound-Earth 2**_

The spaghetti had been decent. Too much garlic but he wasn't complaining. By the time that the blonde woman, sporting a utility jumpsuit emblazoned with the hawk symbol, who was obviously one of Shayera's servants, came in with the plate, he was starving. The woman placed it on a tray table and then placed the tray table on the bed. She bowed and quickly left, only muttering that he should "call her to take away the plates" when he was done.

He had, and she entered once more and exited with a precision and formality that he knew was instilled in her from her Thanagarian mistress. He wanted to ask if the woman was here of her own free will, or even just get her name. She didn't allow him an opportunity to however, as she moved about her duties too quickly to be pinned down.

"Well, alone again….naturally" he says, smiling at his own stupid joke. He couldn't help it. In his state of unknowing and fear, he had to do something to break out of the funk that was quickly overtaking him, and repeating song lyrics was a way of not only keeping his mind sharp, but also of throwing off any would be agents of the conspiracy. You never knew.

From time to time he heard noises behind the door to his room, or rather prison cell. They were low in tone and oddly familiar. A quick burst of whispers, obviously from young girls. Two young girls in particular. He knew that the sounds had to be coming from this dimension's Penny and Lily, with Henry being too young to be out of his crib alone. His daughters, or at least this universe's version/ His heart was breaking and he wanted to call out to them, let them in and hold them. But something kept him back, something he couldn't readily explain. It only dawned on him when he thought further about it.

He was afraid of never seeing his own children again.

He'd never again tuck Penny in, or watch Blue's Clues with Lily, make funny faces at Henry. He almost couldn't bear the thought, and looking at their faces, while knowing that it wasn't them was unbearable. He couldn't take it and it took all of his willpower to not break down right then and there.

Luckily, he didn't have to make a decision regarding the children as one was quickly made for him. He hears a voice on the other side of the door, a harsh and demanding tone. Vic could tell that it was the same woman who brought him his meal, and undoubtedly decided that he didn't like her. The tone she took with the children was too much, too tough and unloving. If she was supposed to be a nanny, something his Shayera would never do, (get a nanny that is), she was acting more in line with a commandant. He is about to say something, shout through the door, gather the children to him and comfort them when another voice joins the group on the other side. "Jillian, thank you. I'll handle it from here" Shayera says, two feet thumping away almost immediately after, the woman being well conditioned for her job. Another minute passes and he hears Shayera whispering to the children. He can't make out what she's saying due to her softer tone,but he catches snippets here and there. "Daddy", "rest", and "sick" are the three major words used and the only one's he's able to pick out.

He hears a sniffle and then a quiet, "yes mommy" before their little feet move away down the same corridor their nanny had just went down. He feels the emptiness again, wanting them there with him. He couldn't allow it though. He had to leave and getting emotionally involved with these children wouldn't help that.

He had to remain aloof.

The door opens with a hiss and Shayera steps in, pointedly ignoring him as she moves towards a dresser. She was probably still angry about what Vic had said before, but she hadn't been angry enough to deny him dinner. She opens a drawer, pulling out a light green night gown that she throws onto the corner of the bed.

She keeps her back to him, her wings preventing him from seeing her reflection in the mirror in front of her. "Did you enjoy your dinner?" she asks, her voice surprisingly neutral as she removes the long gloves she wore over her arms, making the movement slower and more drawn out than was necessary. Vic found his eyes drawn to her pale skin before they fixated on the movement itself. "It was fine" he says, moving his neck and craning his head to get a better view before he shakes himself out of it. She was changing, right in front of him, and while she looked, acted and smelled like his Shayera, he knew she wasn't.

"Would you mind not changing in here please?" he asks, trying to focus on the window and avoiding looking at her body. "Why?" she asks, teasing laced through her words. "Don't you like how I look?" she teases, turning around and facing him before she reaches behind her and begins lowering the zipper of her jumpsuit.

He rolls his eyes, unable to fight the blush that spreads across his cheeks. "No, but we both know I shouldn't see you like that" he says, looking back for only a second to see that she has freed her wings from the garment and was now holding it to her by pressing her arm against her chest.

"Ohh? Why not? We've both seen each other in much less" she teases, turning once more to showcase her mostly bare back, only the fabric of her bra obstructing a clear view of her flesh. Her wings flutter gently and she lets out a contented moan as they do. "It feels so good to be free" she coos again, letting the dark fabric of her shirt fall forward and the ensemble itself falling to her waist. Vic begins sweating a bit, seeing the familiar sight but knowing in his heart that it was foreign. How could he get out of this?

He begins to hum a tune to himself, hoping that the melody would distract him from his increasingly dirty thoughts as well as it would distract the Illuminati on their fact finding mission.

"Ohh, I know that one. It's a nice song Vic" Hawkgirl teases, reaching down to push the pooled jumpsuit down, first exposing her waist and the top of her panties. Red and frilled, Shayera's style. He moans as she bends at the waist, pushing them all the way down her long toned legs and swaying her rear end for his appreciation. Vic couldn't help it as he looked, comparing and contrasting how different or alike the two Shayera's were.

This Shayera, whom he'd call Shayera, was much skinnier than his Shayera, whom he'd now refer to as Shay, just to keep them straight in his mind. Undoubtedly the work of a Justice Lord was much more taxing on her than Vic and Shay's duties as Justice League members, which had been scaled back after they started having kids. Both had fallen of the edge a bit considering that they traded off fighting Luthor for ballet. His wife was still the most gorgeous woman to walk the Earth though, and nothing would change that in his mind.

Still, the Shayera in front of him was putting up a convincing counter argument.

She finally steps out of the fabric, kicking it to the side of the dresser and leaving herself in nothing more than her bra and panties. She smiles over her shoulder at him, her tongue lightly dabbing at her lips. "Anytime you want more of a show Vic, you let me know okay?" she asks, undoing the clip of her bra and slowly sliding it off of her. Vic closes his eyes and lets out an exhale of breath, not needing to see her to know that she was giving him a generous view of her side and her chest. He hears a giggle in response to his closed eyes, and then the rustle of fabric.

"You're no fun" she says, causing him to open his eyes and smile in relief. She was dressed, in a very revealing nightgown of course but she was still dressed. "Better?" she asks, beginning to move towards the bed. "What are you doing?" he asks nervously, his eyes focused on the exaggerated sway of her hips. He wasn't in any position to stop her though. Aside from being sore all over, he was still chained to the bed with no idea on how to get out of it. "What does it look like? I'm getting ready to sleep with my husband" she says, pulling open the covers and scooting in beside him, pulling them back over the two as she molds into his side.

"This...isn't appropriate Shayera" he says, fighting his instinct. He hated how busy the two of them had been before he'd left. They hadn't had any private adult time in a long while and it was beginning to show its effect. Vic wouldn't cheat, but he hated that he was so tempted.

His face is gently turned and soon her lips are attached to his own, her hand moving about his chest. He pulls back, unable to move far due to the chains. "Shayera, please stop. I'm not your Vic" he says, fully expecting another outburst from her. Instead she pulls him closer, wrapping her arms about his waist and kissing his cheek, tracing a line of kisses along his jaw. "You could be" she says, the tears she is shedding having an audible impact through her speech. She was crying and Vic couldn't help himself as he wrapped his arms around the woman's waist, pulling her into him even tighter.

She gasps, trying to reign in her emotions but failing miserably. Vic pulling the proud woman into his arms only sends her over the edge and she begins to sob into his chest, something he allows her to do. "I know you're not my Vic" she says, calming slightly after a few minutes, but her eyes still red and puffy. She reaches up, stroking the palm of her hand along his cheek. "But you could be. And I could be your Shayera" she says, her eyes pleading with him.

He moves his hand over hers, intending to take it off when he does but the look in her eyes prevents him. She keeps staring, hoping against hope that he would consent and allow her to have him again. He sees this in her eyes, and though he won't betray his wife, he knows he has to comfort this woman, even if it would end badly.

"We can't though Shayera. I'm married to you...I mean a Shayera Sage already. What about her? And my children? I can't stay. I need to get home. I don't belong in this dimension. I'm so sorry" he says, causing her to sniffle again. "What if you can't go back? What if you're stuck here? There is no way "home" Vic. This is your home now" she says, stopping to collect herself. "You have children here to love. Penny misses you so much. Lily can barely remember you but she still does. She called you the man with the funny face" she says, giggling to herself at the memory of her youngest. "And Henry? Henry needs you. To teach him how to grow up and how to be man" she says, tugging on Vic's heartstrings like never before, his mind filled with how he imagined his children without him.

"I need you too" she whispers, kissing his forehead as she slithers up his body. "I've missed you so much. When you died...it was like the world ended. There was no more warmth or joy. I had the kids baby, but...I can't do it on my own. I need you here with me" she says. "Please, I'll….I'll make a deal with you" she says, peaking Vic's interest as his hands move to her waist, preventing her from going any higher.

"I'll speak to Enforcer Terrific and see if he can find a way home for you. But if he can't.." she says, letting the sentence trail off and end. Vic seems to get the gist and finishes for her. "I stay here with you" he says, half questioningly, with Shayera nodding emphatically. "Yes. You stay here" she reiterates, letting that feeling wash over her as she imagined such an outcome.

It's silent for a minute but finally Vic nods. "Okay, but what made you change your mind?" he asks curiously. "About what?"

"About letting me leave" he says, his mind working overtime. "There is a possibility of me leaving after all, so why would you allow that? Especially when you seemed so dead set against it" he asks, causing the woman to bite her lip as she looks for an explanation. "I thought about your Shayera and your children with her and I know how she must be feeling. But our children and I feel that too. The only way to be fair is to try and see what happens. It's equal. And this way I know that at least we tried" she says, apparently making a sufficient enough case for the conspiracy theorist. "Okay. It is fair, but you'll speak to Terrific soon then?" he asks, refusing to address the man as "Enforcer Terrific". She nods and smiles, wiping away the remaining tears around her eyes with the back of her hand. "Yes. In the morning" she says, leaning forward and kissing him.

Vic resists slightly, but much less than he would have before. While the fear of being stuck here forever was still predominant in his mind, at least the familiarity of Shayera and the kids would help him along. But how could he exist in a world run by dictators? Even when those dictators were his closest friends? He'd cross that bridge when he got to it, if he got to it. Right now he needed to focus on the fact that Shayera was trying to devour him.

He gently pushes her back by grasping her shoulders, smiling lightly to take the edge away from his actions. "Shayera, hold on we…" he starts before being interrupted, the woman in front of him looking at him as if he'd hit her. "But...you said you would stay if you had to. That you would be with me" she says, causing him to realize that he needed to clear up the miscommunication. "I know, and I mean that, but we haven't tried sending me back yet. If I were to...be with you in that way, it would be really bad for my longevity if I went back and Shay found out" he says, still rubbing her bare skin between her shoulders. She deflates, seeming to understand his argument but still wanting to be with her husband. "Besides, I'm still pretty banged up. I wouldn't be a good bed partner right now" he says, laughing lightly at just how true it was.

She smiles, laughing herself, but still looks upset. "Well, I wont lie. I am a little let down, but...there's time" she says fluttering her eyelids up at him. He smiles down, thankful that it worked this time but also knowing he would have to come up with a long term plan to avoid this in the future. Even now she was trying to seduce him, quietly moving her body against his and running her hands up and down his arms. Her eyes were half lidded as she looked up at him, moving down into his lap and rubbing her bottom against him as well. "Are you reaaaallly sure Vic? It's been a long time since I've been with you" she teases, licking her lips.

"I'm sure" he says, his mind whispering that he was anything but sure. She notices too, his eyes apparently locked onto her breasts. She smiles and pushes him upward by his chin, forcing them into eye contact. She leans in, kissing him gently on the lips. "So, you want us to take it slow?" she asks, Vic nodding. "Hmm. Okay. How many women get to say they won their man twice? It might be fun to date you all over" she says, giggling into her hand. "Well, if I stay" he says, reminding her of their deal. She rolls her eyes, "yeah, yeah, yeah I know, but let me dream huh?" she asks, swatting his chest.

Moments of silence pass, Shayera listening to Vic's breathing and feeling his heartbeat. She smiles contentedly, letting go of the fear and trepidation for the future.

"Can I...well, you, unlock my feet?" Vic asks, causing Shayera to smile as she reaches down and grabs the key off of the nightstand where it had been hidden under a few papers. She unlocks the mechanism and Vic kicks his feet out and stretches. "Huh, almost in plain sight" he says, laying back down and wrapping his arm about her waist. "Best place to hide something from you" she retorts, causing the man to chuckle to himself. "Touche" he says, the woman repositioning herself so that she was half laying on him, his heartbeat once again thumping in her ear.

She wasn't worried. She felt guilty about lying to Vic however. Terrific would be told what to say, but all he would do was parrot what Shayera told him. If the man wouldn't go along with it, liberal application of her mace would ensure it. She couldn't lose it, not when no woman, herself from another universe included, would ever take care of Vic like her. She wasn't going to lose and soon, very soon, Vic would see the merit of the Justice Lord's approach. As soon as he accepted it, loved her and trusted them he'd assist in this beautiful new world they were creating.

What was one lie if Vic would wind up happy? Loving children who excelled at school and listened, and an attentive and loving wife. He'd finally be able to use his analytical brain for rooting out the last bastions of resistance.

All was well in her world. Slight worries remained about...people he knew who still resisted the Lords. Especially one, but she would be gone soon.

All was right with her world

_**Lord Military Command, Metropolis-Earth Two**_

The soldiers snapped to attention, the butt of their rifles pounding against the tiled floor as their heels click together and their hands snap to their forehead. Lord Superman ignores them, brushing past them as if they weren't even there. The soldiers didn't complain, even if they wanted to. The Kyrptonian was obviously very angry and the woman following him seemed upset too.

"He's here?! Alive?!" Clark Kent fumes, shouting over his shoulder at the Amazon. Diana, sporting shorter hair and a much more covering suit, walked behind him, trying to avoid his fluttering cape before rushing up to join him by walking at his side. "Yes, he is" she admits, knowing there was no way around this.

"Stewart told me. He would've killed him too, and we wouldn't have any problems. Why, in the name of Rao is he still breathing? Do you realize how much of a problem this is, at this particular time?" he asks, stopping now that they are alone in a conference room.

"Yes, I realize this isn't the most opportune time.." she begins before being cut off by Superman raising a hand.

"The rebels are on the move. Gun confiscation, especially in the United States, is not going well. Casualties are pouring in and we can barely keep a lid on it" he says, looking out into the dark sky over Metropolis. "It would go easier if you did it Clark" Wonder Woman says, moving up besides him. "I can't. They need to see that it's their fellow human beings doing this. If I do it, they'll see it for what is, a more powerful force making them do as it wants them to".

"It sounds awfully pragmatic, the way you described it" Diana says, smiling from the corner of her mouth. "I can't hide what it is, at least not from myself or you. They'd undoubtedly see this as tyranny but in the end, it's not tyranny. It's just us doing what's right" he says before remembering the issue at hand. "Vic Sage was a rebel and a murderer. A madman. He came very close to killing Lord Batman and Lord Lantern" he says. "How can we be sure that this Question wont pose a threat?"

"He's with Shayera" She says, looking out at one of the Lord's assault choppers patrolling downtown Metropolis.

Superman just sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "That doesn't assuage me. We all know that she is still putty in his hands. She's been practically insane since he was killed" he says, causing Diana to scowl. "Perhaps you shouldn't speak so poorly of a woman who commands so many troops and is one of your closest friends" she warns, mixing practicality with compassion. "You promised her that she would be spared, before letting Stewart massacre him. Especially with how Stewart has been lusting over her, you know this wasn't a good call" she reminds him, causing him to walk toward the other window. "I know, don't remind me. I'd hoped that she would take up with Stewart after the Question was revealed to be the leak". This causes Diana to laugh as she follows him. "Clearly you didn't know them very well. Maybe you never knew any of us well. Shayera was dedicated to Vic, and he her. They have three children Kal. That doesn't go away" she says.

Kal just smiles and turns, grasping the woman by the waist and pulling her to him. "That's not true. I know you. Very well" he says, drawing out the words as he kisses her passionately, his hands now groping her rear openly. Diana moans, leaning into the kiss and wrapping her arms about his shoulders.

It is a long while before the two separate, both gasping for air. "We shouldn't do this so openly Kal. What about Lois?" she asks, eliciting a smirk from the man. "What about her? Who's going to tell her?" he asks, causing Diana to sigh. She wouldn't say so openly, but she was tiring of being the other woman and Kal being so flippant about it.

"Can Shayera control him?" he asks, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Yes, I'm sure of it" she says, sadness creeping into her voice unintentionally. "Good, because if she doesn't….I'll kill him" he warns, fully meaning it. "And this has to be a secret. We can't allow...her to find out" he adds, Diana nodding, agreeing whole heartedly. "Shayera wouldn't want her knowing either. I doubt after getting him back that she'd want to compete with another woman, let alone the same woman she lost her husband to the last time" Diana says, feeling an outpouring of sympathy for her friend. It had not been good or easy for her, and it had started to show on the woman. She was rougher and much more hostile, willing to resort to violence in any situation. The coldness scared her and she hoped that Vic, or this other Vic, would bring Shayera back.

"Good. Now, lets table this matter for some more….enjoyable pursuits" Kal says, cupping her breast. Diana's eyes widen, and she gasps. "Kal?!" she asks, smiling, half embarrassed, half aroused as she turns her eyes to the door. "What if someone comes in?" she asks, the dictator smiling. "Don't worry, nobody will come in" he says, apparently having given an order beforehand.

Nobody disobeyed Superman's orders.


	3. Chapter 3

_**The Daily Planet, Metropolis- Earth 2**_

"Ms. Lane, what should do we run on the Dallas bombing?" Jimmy Olsen asks, moving up besides his boss, holding a clipboard. Lois just sighs, looking out over the almost empty office, only a few people present in their cubicles. The stories that they were writing were all sympathetic to the regime in one way or another. She thought over the headlines and articles that would appear in the next morning's edition. "Lord's Seize Wealth From 1%, Helping The Workers!" rang one, with others touting the social progress made by the regime. She wanted to roll her eyes, thinking it all rather facetious. The Daily Planet was owned by Lord Superman, hence why so many layoffs had happened. Only the bootlickers remained on, herself included.

"I don't know Jimmy. Just say something the Lord's will like" she says, throwing up her hand and turning to continue walking towards her office. Jimmy makes to follow, wanting to question the woman further, but stops and just shakes his head. "Alright. Just domestic terrorists again. Nothing at all wrong with what the Lords are doing. Just domestic terrorism. Maybe blame it on the toxicity of white men again" he says to himself, muttering as he writes that down, knowing it would be a hit with the regime and its supporters.

Lois just lights a cigarette behind the closed door of her office, letting things go as she usually did. Ever since Perry was "retired" she'd been at the helm of the Daily Planet, but it wasn't as it once was. The position was much more empty than it used to be, with her just approving stories that Clark wanted written. "Only for a little while Lois. We really need the media support" he'd said at the time. She'd agreed, and patiently wrote and printed lies, time after time because she trusted Clark. She loved Clark too, so that added to her obedience naturally.

"News Story" she says to herself, drawing her hands through the air and imagining the headline as she does. "The Press is Lying Too You. Always Has And Always Will" she says, laughing to herself at her own little pessimistic joke. "We aren't doing anything we haven't done before" she says, sitting at her desk, not even bothering with her computer before she pulls out a small glass and a bottle of whiskey. She looks at the glass and the bottle before shrugging, placing the glass back in the drawer. Nobody needed her today, and her state provided driver would bring her back to her apartment, no questions asked. It was a show up and tune out kind of job. She didn't have any power to stop stories she knew were bunk, which was most of them.

It had really done a number on her view of the press' relationship to truth and the people. She would laugh at her own memories of her past self, bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready to save the world and tell the truth. Over the years that optimism had dwindled away. Story after story for a political party that painted one candidate or event in a positive light. She'd even started reading into history and discovered the roots of American journalism. Leaflets distributed by the first parties of the nation. Parties it's founder had warned against. William Randolph Hearst, Yellow Journalism, the Gulf of Tonkin, even some smirking kid at some rally who didn't do anything wrong. It was a steady track of manipulation through the ages, all under the banner of truth.

"Freedom of the press" she says to herself sarcastically, throwing the glass of whiskey back and downing it in one gulp. She reaches up and rubs her temples, feeling the headache she'd been developing throughout the day receding and being replaced by a lightheadedness that was different but not better than the headache. She frowned before picking up one of the bulletins Jimmy had left on her desk.

"Lies, lies and more lies. Anyone who says that the press safeguards freedom is either a liar, or delusional" she thinks, lucidity and honesty coming through the buzz of the whiskey. "Huh, maybe journalists should only be allowed to write and print while drunk. At least they'll be truthful" she says aloud, laughing and throwing herself back in her chair.

"That wouldn't be responsible Lois" says a voice off to her right, causing the woman to turn towards the now open window, knowing already who it was. She lazily draws an arm across her eyes, sighing. "Come on in Clark...ohh wait, sorry. Kal" she corrects herself, remembering how it was not a class a political crime to not use Lord Superman's Kyrptonian name. He had said that it was to create a spirit of openness about who he was, but it was really more about keeping up a certain image. Mainly reminding everyone that he wasn't from here and could crush them all if he really wanted to.

Superman doesn't say anything, but enters the room and slowly moves to the floor, now standing instead of floating. He stands in front of her desk, arms crossed and looking disapprovingly down at the woman. "What?" she asks, peaking out from under her arm. "It's only 2:30 in the afternoon. Are you sure it's responsible to be drinking?" he asks, receiving only a blank stare in response.

Kal just sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. "I'm worried about you Lois. You're losing weight, your hair is unkempt and you constantly smell like booze. What's going on?" he asks, sitting down in a chair across the desk.

"What's going on? Well I'll tell you Kal El" she says, her speech slightly slurred now. "Pro Second amendment protestors were fired on by Justice Lord forces today. We were told to just say that they were white supremacists" she says laughing. "I put it down of course. Dutifully. Ohh and the Dallas bombing? Just another unhinged white domestic terrorist. He was hispanic of course, and wasn't a domestic terrorist as he attacked a Justice Lord's ammo stockpile and didn't kill anyone, but don't worry I took care of it. We whitewashed his photo and said he was a 'white hispanic' so it's all good. Your little worldview is going well" she says, only now beginning her rant. She stands, Kal remained seated.

"And don't worry, we've been trashing every nationalist movement. Any threats to the international order you're trying to pose are being quashed through whatever we have. Lies, hyperbole and generalizing" she says, reaching for the bottle again before Kal stands and stops her, grabbing her wrist. "That's enough Lois" he says, the warning present in his eyes. "We're trying to make the world a better place and the only way to do that, as we have proven, is to make sure it's under our control. Nationalism, borders and pride have led to far too many deaths. We can't allow it to happen again" he says, trying to explain why he was doing what he was doing.

Lois just rolls her eyes and pulls her hand out of his grasp, moving away toward the window. "Apparently we can't allow freedom, or rights, or ideals or really anything that makes us human anymore" she says, looking down and sighing. "Don't worry Lord Superman. The Daily Planet will do whatever it is that you want. After all, you own us" she says, wanting another drink of whiskey.

Kal doesn't say anything else, instead he stands and starts moving toward the window he came in through, turning at the last moment. "What happened to us Lois? We used to be close" he said, causing the woman to laugh as she takes her seat once more. "You started screwing Lord Wonder Woman" she says simply, shrugging her shoulders as if her fiancee's infidelity didn't matter to her anymore. Superman says nothing, just standing there and trying to hide his embarassment at being found out. "How did you know?" he asks, turning to see Lois taking out the whiskey bottle once more. "I'm an investigative reporter. Or at least I was, before I became your Josef Goebbels" she says, saying nothing more on the subject and instead taking a swig of the bottle.

Kal says nothing more, and just readies himself to fly out into the Metropolis sky. "I left your engagement ring in your mail slot. Let's not make this difficult or get sentimental farm boy".

He nods, apparently agreeing that this should be quiet and quick, not needing this controversy at the moment. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry Lois" he says, receiving no reply as she stares at the bottle, trying to hold in her tears. In another second, he's gone, not even a speck in the sky.

"It's worth nothing" she says, somewhat hoping that he would hear and vaporize her for her audacity. The tears now flow freely down her cheeks. She lets this continue for a few minutes until a beeping sound breaks her out of her funk. She looks at her computer screen, which had turned on after receiving the notification. It was an email, and she knew who it was from as well.

The message simply read, "Conspiracy is back. Try and find out how and why". She quickly wipes the remnants of her tears away and begins typing, two words in response.

"On it"

_**Sage Compound, Gotham-Earth 2**_

Shayera's arms were wrapped tightly about his midsection, her head laying on his chest and her hair splayed out. She hadn't moved from this position all night. She'd molded herself into him completely, entwining her legs through his. She snored, lightly of course, but she still snored. He had to remind himself constantly that this wasn't Shay.

His sleep had been fitiful, his mind filled with possibilities and outcomes that weren't even close to being fulfilled yet. The one overarching fear was being stuck here, in a world where his choice would inevitably to aid tyranny, or to revolt. He promised that he'd stay with Shayera if it came down to it, but only now, in the early hours of the morning, did he realize what that really meant. It meant joining the Justice Lords.

He couldn't be with her. Not on those terms. Hold her, kiss her, tuck in the kids behind her and then make love to her while knowing that she was part of a tyrannical regime. He couldn't be the accomplice, open or apathetic, no matter how much he sympathized with Shayera.

The sun begins to peak over the horizon, illuminating some of the grounds that were attached to the compound though the open curtains. From what he could see the hedges were well manicured and the grass immaculately cut, no doubt due to the army of servants that were employed. Vic didn't know how he knew but it just fit that there would be servants.

He begins to slowly extricate himself from Shayera's grasp, hoping that this Shayera was as much of a heavy sleeper as his Shay was, and it worked in his favor as he was able to slowly get his body out from under hers, using his hands to gently settle her on the bed, making sure her head was placed on top of the pillow. She squirms slightly, her hands squeezing the sheets as she presses her face deeper into the pillow. "Hmmm, Vic?" she moans out, calling out to him while he was half asleep. "I'm here Shayera" he says quietly, sitting on the edge of the bed and rubbing along his legs, trying to get a stock of just how well he was healing. Apparently he was healing well as the wounds on his legs had already scabbed over. He was nowhere near as sore as he was yesterday and found that when he stood he didn't instantly feel like falling down.

"Come back to bed. It's cold without you here" she mumbles, still half asleep but grasping for him. "In a little bit alright? I have to use the bathroom" he says, reaching for a blue robe and quickly putting it on, realizing that it must've been brought in by Shayera at some point. "Hmm, alright. Don't be long" she mutters, falling back into sleep. He smiles despite himself, reaching down and brushing a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, feeling an urge to lean down and kiss the woman's cheek. He resists however, and begins to walk, slowly, out of the room. He didn't really have to use the restroom, but he did have to explore his surroundings.

The hall directly outside of Shayera's bedroom was painted white, but a much duller white than the color used on the bedroom walls. No pictures on the walls, or drawings as was the case back in his apartment. He turns to the right and moves down the hall, seeing another door. He opens it quietly, hearing noises as he does. Almost like giggling and then the quick shuffling of blankets or sheets as soon as he turns the knob.

"Shh" he hears, knowing instantly that he had stumbled on Penny and Lily's room. His smile gets even wider as he sees a small flashlight turn off under a blanket. He opens the door wider, smiling as the girls hold their breaths, hoping he would have missed them being awake.

"Up early hmm girls?" he asks, receiving only silence from the relative darkness of the room. "Don't worry. I wont tell your mother" he says, laughing openly as he sees Penny sneak her head over the blanket. She was the spitting image of Shayera, just as in his own universe. Messy red hair and green eyes. "Daddy?" she asked quietly, Lily coming up as well as she heard the word Penny used. She was much more like Vic, with his brown eyes and darker hue of red hair. The younger girl looked between her sister and Vic, curious as to what to do, trepidation on her face.

In a flash, Penny jumps out of the bed, sending the blankets flying as she rockets into her fathers arms. Vic couldn't help but wrap his arms around his oldest daughter, falling to his knees as he holds her. "Daddy I thought you were dead" she says, starting to cry as her little arms squeeze around his neck. He can't help the tears that begin to leak out of his own eyes. He squeezes her tighter before gesturing with his hand for Lily to come to him to. "Come here Lily. It's alright" he says, rubbing the older girls back.

The younger girl is more careful in her approach, regarding the man warily. She still comes close enough for him to take her hand and pull her into the hug. "My two beautiful girls" he says, enjoying their proximity to one another. He was finding it harder and harder to convince himself that they weren't his daughters, and soon he didn't care enough to think on it. He pulls back, one hand on each of their shoulders as he inspects them. "You both look so much like your mother" he says, caressing Lily's cheek. "You have my eyes though" he says, marvelling at how they were exactly the same as his own daughters.

A crying emanates from down the hall, and Lily and Penny both begin pulling their father excitedly by the hands. "Come on, let's go see Henry" Penny says, huffing impatiently but the smile still splitting her face.

"Let's go then" he says, letting them pull him along until they come into a room that was painted a dark blue. There was a small bed with safety bars around it, and a little boy, no older than three, standing up in it, his hands gripping the bars as he cries. "Momma" he calls out before stopping at the sight of the man in his doorway. Penny and Lily both rush to the side of the toddler's bed, rubbing his arms as they do. "Henry, look who's here" Penny says excitedly, glancing back at her father and her brother. "It's daddy" says Lily, a slight lisp coming into her voice with her excitement.

Vic moves closer as well, seeing that just like the girls, this universe's Henry was exactly like his. He gets close enough and smiles down at the little boy, who returns the look and stares up at the man. "Hey Henry" Vic says, emotion laced through his voice. "How are you doing buddy?" he asks. The toddler just puts his arms up in response, wanting the man to pick him up. Vic laughs and places his hands under the little boy's armpits, lifting him and settling him on his chest. "You alright? Nightmare or something?" he asks, gently bouncing the boy. Henry just lays his head on his shoulder and yawns, falling back to sleep in an instant.

"It's been a while since he's done that" says a voice from the doorway, and Vic turns to see Shayera, wearing her own red robe tied at the waist, leaning against the doorframe. She smiles simply and looks at the girls, a teasing look in her eyes. "Aren't you girls supposed to be in bed?" she asks, looking out at the still dark early morning. The two girls look down sheepishly before realizing that they could turn to their father once more. "Can we stay up daddy?" asks Lily before Penny adds, "We're already awake. Please?" she asks.

Vic just smiles, rubbing Henry's back just to feel his son's heartbeat. "Alright girls. But no roughhousing. Your brother is still sleepy" he says in a whisper, looking back to Shayera who rolls her eyes good naturedly. "And I'm back to being the mean and strict parent" she teases before walking up beside Vic and hugging him with one arm while her other comes up to rest her hand on Henry's face. "We used to hold him every night. He'd be so afraid of the dark that he wouldn't sleep alone" she says, nuzzling her cheek against Vic's arm. "It's been hard without you but look at how easy it is now that you're back" she says.

Vic remains silent, only leaning down to press a kiss to his son's forehead. "I know" he says, not wanting to say anything to upset Shayera while he was holding Henry.

"Let's bring him out onto the couch. We can relax and talk while our baby sleeps" she says, whispering into his ear and slowly leading her two men out of the room.

A shadow blocks their way, moving through the slight illumination provided by the rising sun into the hallway. "Lord Sage, the girls are out of their beds" Jillian whispers, a stern expression on her face that seems to grow sterner when she sees Vic holding Henry. She opens her mouth, about to say something more when Shayera stops her. "Don't worry Jillian. Their father gave them permission. We're going to take Henry and lay on the couch, to let him get some more sleep" she says, a smile on her face as she only gives the woman minimal attention, her eyes focused solely on Vic.

Jillian's mouth becomes a rigid flat line and her eyes narrow to slits when looking at the man before she turns back to Hawkgirl. "Lord Sage, I don't believe it's wise to indulge in master Henry's demands. He needs to sleep in his own bed, alone. He just turned three for….." she begins before being harshly cut off with a whisper. "Exactly. He is only three and wants to cuddle with his mother and father. Back off, and don't bother with things that are none of your business" Shayera fumes, sounding more and more like the Justice Lord Vic knew she was.

The blonde woman seems to shrink under the glare being given to her by her employer and she nods, looking down at the floor. "Of course ma'am. I apologize for overstepping. It wont happen again" she says, causing Shayera to smile slightly at the woman. "It better not" she teases before looking back at Vic and urging them forward with a pat on the rear. "Hey" he says, a bit scandalized. Not only was he still uncomfortable with how Shayera was coming onto him, he was holding Henry. "I'm holding Henry" he whispers as they begin to move off down the hallway.

Shayera just laughs quietly. "He's asleep. Besides, you should see the things we did on the night we made him. Maybe I'll show you soon" she teases, nuzzling against him and causing a blush to spread over his cheeks.

Jillian watches from her position outside of Henry's room, having been dismissed without even being regarded. She was fuming. 'How dare she push me off to the side like that' she says in her mind, angry that all her years of hard work in caring for children that were not her own were being forgotten because that man had come back into their turns and begins walking to her own quarters, getting ready to take out some of her anger on the cleaning staff. 'Did she forget that the man was a terrorist? He betrayed everything she believed in, hopped into another woman's bed and she still worships the ground he walks on?' she continues, her mind already fixating on ways to fix this. She wouldn't let her influence wane, not on the children nor Shayera. They were creating a better world, and she wouldn't have it spoiled by the conspiracy loon.

No. It was time to contact Lord Lantern and appraise him of the situation.

'He'll know what to do' she assures herself within her mind before getting ready to dress herself for the day.

_**The Citadel, Gotham, Somewhere Hidden-Earth 2**_

The blur of activity that had been brought about by the news of Vic Sage's arrival hadn't abated at all. In fact, it was probably one of the best cracks in the regime's foothold since the defection of Aquaman.

The room was rather cluttered, with boxes of munitions and computers sprawled out everywhere, the near endless clickity clack of typing keys adding to the sound of air conditioners and speech. One figure stood out however. She stood in the center of the room, arms placed palms down on the desk in front of her as she studied a map. Her dark locks, once so short, now went down to her shoulder. "You're absolutely sure that it's him?" she asks, the hope that creeps into her voice coming from a far more personal place than could come from hope for the rebellion, though that was part of it.

"Sure is boss lady" says a high pitched voice from across the desk. Harley Quinn was leaning against a wooden box, inspecting her nails before putting her gloves back on. "Saw mistah V with my own eyes, tucked inside Hawkgirl's compound" she says, mentally refraining from referring to it as "Sage Hall".

The woman can't help the gasp that comes out of her throat as she looks down, trying to avoid letting her subordinates see her tears. Not that any of them would've said anything if they had. As it was Harley looked away, pretending to be interested in a poster that was hung on the far wall. The woman composes herself, taking a deep breath before looking back up at the woman.

Before she can say anything, two more people enter the room, a few rebels snapping to attention and saluting as they do. "Knock it off will ya?" says the green man formerly known as Beast Boy but now either Changeling or Garfield. The blonde beside him smirks and laughs, teasingly saluting him. "Cut it out Dinah" he says, blushing bright red, which was all the more visible due to his green skin tone.

"Aww, you're cute when you're embarrassed" Dinah Lance teases, grasping the younger man's cheek between her fingers. He just rolls his eyes and grabs her hand, preventing her from further touching him by pulling her into his chest. A few years passed, he was a shrimp but now? He was a solid head taller than the blonde.

Her eyes go wide and she smiles up at him. "Ohh? Getting a little handsy there huh Gar? And with a poor defenseless old woman like me?" she asks, causing him to let her go and move away. "Sorry, you're not my type" he teases back, causing her to blush, this time a little angrily before she smirks again. "Good. You wouldn't survive the ride anyway beastie" she says.

"Ohh geez, get a room why dontcha?" says Harley Quinn, making a puking motion with her hands. The woman behind the desk smiles, shaking her head at her friend's antics. Even in these dark times, hope found a way to bloom.

"So, Vic is back?" asks Garfield, coming close to the desk and leaning against it. "How are we going to get him back here?" he asks, causing the woman to look up, a bit startled. "No. I have to do this alone. I wont put any of you in danger because of…."

"Ahh shut up. Vic was our friend too. Besides, we want you two to get back to making more babies. Nutjob conspiracy theorists who can jump around like acrobats? The lords wont know what hit 'em" says Harley, smashing her fist into her hand. Dinah smiles and nods as well, crossing her arms under her chest. "Don't even try to convince us otherwise. Besides, I'm tired of you moping around" she teases, causing the others to laugh.

The woman looks down, genuinely touched by this show of support. "Alright, but before any talk of me and Vic...we need to find out who he really is" she says, causing confused looks to be shared amongst the group. "Come on guys. We all know that my Vic….we all saw it happen" she says, taking another deep breath. "For all we know this could be a trick, or, more likely, this isn't exactly our Vic. There are other dimensions" she says in explanation. "And we did pick up a seismic disturbance in Metropolis. Something the Lord's kept under wraps. We need to approach this quietly and cleanly. That's why Dinah is our point woman on this" she says.

"Hey...why can't I be the point on this?" whines Harley.

The woman tilts her head and looks at the clown costumed woman.

"Do I really need to justify that with an answer?"

"No….." comes Harley's voice before she perks up again. "Can I help when it comes time to break into Hawkgirl's compound? I wanna bash her head in" she says, causing the woman to laugh. "Sure Harley, but leave Hawkgirl to me. If anyone gets to bash her head in, I have to do it" she says, looking at her assembled friends, a few footsoldiers coming in to assist with whatever they could do.

"Alright, let's get to it"

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

_**(Hey everyone. Hope you're enjoying the story and I hope I'm improving with my writing. I know there is always a good amount of typos, and for that I apologize. I keep my hobby under wraps at home, and thus am rather limited in the technology I can use to get it done, so I hope that the attempts I made at correction were sufficient and that any that remain don't impair the story. Most of all, I hope you find it interesting. I'm trying to give scope to the world and the complex relationships within it so please, if some parts of the story are boring, wait it out. We're getting to some good stuff hopefully soon. Cheers!)**_


End file.
